Data Retention Policy
This policy describes how long Chargezen retains different categories of data and the processes for secure deletion when retention periods expire.
Policy Overview
Chargezen is committed to retaining personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, while complying with legal, regulatory, and business requirements.
This Data Retention Policy establishes standardized retention periods for all categories of data processed by Chargezen, ensuring:
- Legal Compliance: Meeting requirements under GDPR, CCPA, TCPA, and other regulations
- Business Needs: Supporting operations, analytics, and customer service
- Data Minimization: Retaining only what is necessary for stated purposes
- Security: Reducing risk by limiting the data we store
Retention Schedule
The following table details retention periods for each category of data we process.
Account Information
Duration of account + 3 yearsData Types
Name, email, phone, company name, login credentials
Rationale
Legal obligations, dispute resolution, re-activation support
Deletion Method
Upon verified deletion request or automatic after retention period
Transaction Records
7 years from transaction dateData Types
Order history, payment records, invoices, subscription history
Rationale
Tax compliance, financial audits, legal requirements (IRS, state laws)
Deletion Method
Automatic deletion after retention period
Customer Communications
3 years from last interactionData Types
Support tickets, emails, chat logs, call recordings
Rationale
Service improvement, dispute resolution, quality assurance
Deletion Method
Automatic deletion after retention period
SMS/Voice Records (SmartyTap)
Consent records: 5 years | Message logs: 2 yearsData Types
Message content, delivery status, opt-in/opt-out records, consent timestamps
Rationale
TCPA compliance, regulatory audits, legal defense
Deletion Method
Consent records retained for regulatory compliance; message content deleted on schedule
Affiliate Data (Spark!)
Duration of relationship + 5 yearsData Types
Affiliate profiles, commission records, referral tracking, payout history
Rationale
Tax reporting (1099), commission disputes, fraud prevention
Deletion Method
Upon program termination + retention period
Analytics & Usage Data
2 yearsData Types
Page views, feature usage, click events, session data
Rationale
Product improvement, trend analysis, performance optimization
Deletion Method
Aggregated/anonymized after 90 days; fully deleted after 2 years
Security Logs
1 year (standard) | 3 years (security incidents)Data Types
Login attempts, IP addresses, access logs, audit trails
Rationale
Security monitoring, incident investigation, compliance
Deletion Method
Automatic deletion after retention period
Marketing Data
Until consent withdrawn + 1 yearData Types
Email campaign interactions, ad engagement, preferences
Rationale
Marketing attribution, preference management, legal compliance
Deletion Method
Upon opt-out + retention period for compliance records
Cookies & Tracking
Session cookies: Session end | Persistent: Up to 13 monthsData Types
Cookie identifiers, device fingerprints, tracking pixels
Rationale
Session management, analytics, personalization
Deletion Method
Session cookies deleted on browser close; others on schedule
Backup Data
90 daysData Types
All data categories in backup systems
Rationale
Disaster recovery, business continuity
Deletion Method
Rolling deletion as new backups replace old
Deletion Methods
We employ multiple secure methods to delete data depending on the data type and regulatory requirements.
Hard Deletion
Complete and irreversible removal of data from all systems
Applies To:
Data past retention period, verified deletion requests
Timeframe:
30 days from trigger
Soft Deletion
Data marked as deleted but retained in backup for recovery period
Applies To:
Account closures, initial deletion requests
Timeframe:
90-day recovery window before hard deletion
Anonymization
Irreversible removal of identifying information while retaining aggregate data
Applies To:
Analytics data, usage statistics for product improvement
Timeframe:
Per retention schedule
Encryption Key Destruction
Destroying encryption keys rendering encrypted data unreadable
Applies To:
Highly sensitive data, cryptographic deletion
Timeframe:
Immediate upon deletion trigger
Legal Bases for Retention
Legal Obligation
Tax records, financial reporting, regulatory compliance
Examples: IRS requirements (7 years), TCPA consent records (5 years)
Legitimate Interest
Business operations, security, fraud prevention
Examples: Security logs, fraud detection data
Contractual Necessity
Required to fulfill services under agreement
Examples: Account data, service configuration
Consent
Data processed based on user consent
Examples: Marketing communications, optional analytics
Exceptions to Standard Retention
Data may be retained beyond standard periods in the following circumstances:
- •Active Litigation: Data relevant to pending or reasonably anticipated litigation
- •Regulatory Investigation: Data subject to ongoing regulatory inquiry
- •Legal Hold: Data subject to preservation orders
- •Contractual Obligations: Specific retention requirements in customer agreements
Your Data Rights
You have the right to request deletion of your personal data before the end of standard retention periods. To exercise this right:
Questions About Data Retention?
Our privacy team can help you understand how your data is stored and provide information about exercising your data rights.
